Lawley Family Collection

Manuscripts Collection 279

Overview of the Collection

Repository:

G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport

Creator:

Lawley family

Title:

Lawley Family Collection

Dates:

1839-1990

Extent:

ca. 500 items

Abstract:

Papers and volumes of the Lawley family of Massachusetts. Collection contains personal papers such as correspondence, legal papers and ephemera of George F. Lawley, Frederick D. Lawley, and George F. Lawley, II. Collection also contains business papers of the George Lawley and Son, and F.D. Lawley ship yards, Located in South Boston, Neponset, and Quincy, Massachusetts. Business papers include vessel records; cost sheets, scantlings, owners, etc. and wage information; lists, time sheets and petitions.

Identification:

Coll. 279

History of the Lawley Family

The Lawley family documented in this collection spans four generations of Massachusetts ship builders and designers. Beginning with George F. Lawley, an English shipbuilder who sailed to American in 1851, his son, also George F., his son Frederick D, and ending with his son, the English George’s great grandson, George F. Lawley II (1901-). Interwoven within the family history is the story of the family shipyard, George Lawley and Son.

The first George Lawley began his career as an apprentice to Thomas and William Forrest while in England. In 1851 he moved his family to Massachusetts. Family lore states that the steamship passed the yacht AMERICA on her famous Cup voyage and set the family on its road to subsequent Cup victories. After working for Donald McKay, George founded his own shipyard in Scituate, Massachusetts.

Within a few years his son George joined the business and the company name became George Lawley and Son. The yard moved to South Boston. During this period the Lawleys built such vessels as Cup defenders, PURITAN and MAYFLOWER and other well-known yachts, both sail and power.

George’s son, Frederick D. Lawley, studied naval architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and subsequently joined the company as manager and designer.

In 1901 the Lawleys began working for the United States navy and launched two torpedo boats. In the years to come they would continue the association, especially during the World War I.

In 1908 the George Lawley and Son made its final move to Neponset, Massachusetts where it remained until its demise in 1946. Prior to that however, in 1926, George, Frederick and George II left the company and set up F.D. Lawley in Quincy Massachusetts. George died in 1928, but the Lawley’s continued to design and build first class vessels for several years.

Scope and Content

The Lawley Family Collection is organized into seven series.

The first contains the family papers, the second, the company papers; first of George Lawley and Son, and then of F. D. Lawley.

Series three through seven contain volumes. Series three holds those of George Lawley and Son, the fourth, those of George Lawley and Son but kept by Frederick D. Lawley. The fifth contains volumes exclusively of Frederick D. Lawley. Series six contains a volume of George F. Lawley II’s, and the seventh series and final volume is of the Lawley family.

Restrictions

Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the G. W. Blunt White Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.